CT Audubon’s Adirondack Night: Flannel, Chili and Fowl

CT Audubon’s Adirondack Night: Flannel, Chili and Fowl

By Mike Lauterborn

(for HamletHub.com/Fairfield)

2/17/12

Fairfield, CT – About 100 locals swapped black ties and formal wear for their best flannels and jeans to attend an annual fundraiser saturated with references to simple, nature-enhanced mountain life.

Adirondack Night, held Thursday evening, Feb. 16, at Connecticut Audubon Society’s 2328 Burr Street property, featured a silent auction, folk band and fare like chili, wild Alaskan salmon and cheese and cracker platters. The Center’s naturalists were also on hand to introduce guests to a pair of resident barn owls, Milton and Millie.

Items included in the auction were bird-themed and whimsical, including a “Basket of Bird Booze” featuring brands like Wild Turkey, Grey Goose and The Famous Grouse. Other pieces included limited edition artwork, a special home-prepared chef’s dinner and a coffee set with bird-adorned cups. Bidding was feverish, with attendees not only eager to take home favored items but to support the Center and its programming – the prime purpose of the fundraiser.

A few guests were tempted to two-step as Matt Miklus and band One Way Track laid down a folksy soundtrack, providing an authentic backdrop to an already rustic cabin-like setting. Candles, bird paintings and bird statuettes helped complete the picture.